Joseph Young guaranteed it. Now, it’s a reality. Oregon will play in the 2015 NCAA Tournament this Friday with a date set against no. 9 seed Oklahoma State. After his performances in Las Vegas, Young will likely be relied on to score at a high level if the Ducks expect to have success this weekend. In addition, Kentucky is the undisputed favorite. But who else do Emerald basketball reporters Ryan Kostecka, Hayden Kim and Josh Schlichter think has a chance to win it all? They break it all down, offering insights, predictions and more for this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Joseph Young had a mix of both cold and streaky shooting in Oregon’s three games in Vegas last week. Will the Ducks’ success virtually fall entirely on Young’s shoulders against Oklahoma State?
Kostecka – It’s not fair to say that the success of a team will depend on one player. Well, Oregon isn’t just some team and Young isn’t just some player. Yes, the Ducks will need help elsewhere but if they’re going to advance in the tournament, it’s on Young. He has the ability to take over any game and beat any team. Whenever the Ducks need a basket, he’s going to have to keep coming through in the clutch. If Young plays big, real big, then the Ducks have a legit chance at the Sweet-16 and beyond.
Kim – Oregon is good enough as a team to beat Oklahoma State. Will it need Joseph Young to produce at a high level? Sure. But to say that its first round matchup in the NCAA Tournament will solely lie on Young’s shoulders is a bit of a stretch. Needless to say, the Ducks can’t afford Young to have an off night. A usual performance should be enough to be competitive and potentially win the game.
Schlichter – Oklahoma State’s defense has proven that it’s capable of shutting down the perimeter over the course of Big-12 play, so while Young will probably need to hit some big shots at the end, it’s going to be up to Dillon Brooks and Elgin Cook to make the most of their opportunities on the offensive boards and in the paint.
How far does Oregon advance?
Kostecka – I think the Ducks get to the round of 32 but that’s where this magical season ends.  I think the Ducks soundly beat Oklahoma State before losing to Wisconsin. When Young played against superior defenders in Arizona, he struggled mightily and I think the same will happen against Wisconsin. The Badgers size and length will give the Ducks all sorts of trouble, both against Young and down low in the post. Oregon has no answer for Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky, Nigel Hayes or Sam Dekker.
Kim – I got Oregon beating Oklahoma State and then falling to Wisconsin in a surprisingly close game. Oregon’s been one of the hottest teams in the country heading into the tournament. However, I don’t think the Ducks will beat the player of the year, Frank Kaminsky, and Wisconsin if that ends up being a second round matchup.
Schlichter – I’m still up in the air about this game. In a vacuum, Oklahoma State would beat Oregon. When two teams have equal athletic makeup, defense trumps offense. But Joseph Young’s impact is something you can’t really calculate. Because I’ve been wrong about Oregon all year, I think Oregon squeaks by Oklahoma State, then loses by 30 to Wisconsin.
Who wins it all?
Kostecka – It’s very hard to bet against Kentucky with how talented it is on offense and defense. On the other hand, Arizona just feels like a special team to me. T.J. McConnell is the best player no one outside the west coast has heard of. Arizona matches up extremely well with Kentucky and has the bench to support them. I think Arizona gets by Kentucky in the Final Four en route to the national championship.
Kim – I got either Kentucky or Arizona winning it all. The Wildcats are certainly the favorite for good reason and until they lose, I have little reason to doubt their title hopes. If it’s not John Calipari cutting down the net after the final buzzer, my gut tells me Sean Miller and the Wildcats have enough to overcome their recent postseason struggles.
Schlichter – Hopefully I wasn’t the only one that watched Kentucky play this weekend. Arizona has the size and athleticism in its starting lineup to play with the undefeated Wildcats, but Kentucky gets production from more than four players. Tarczewski is going to have to score more than eight points against Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns, while Gabe York and Elliott Pitts are going to have to guard Tyler Ulis and a Harrison twin at some point. Arizona might be the only team in the field capable of beating Kentucky, but John Calipari’s squad is too deep, too big and too athletic. Big Blue Nation should march through the tourney without too much of a struggle.